Under the Surface
by Wizpiress
Summary: Life after the battle wasn't a stroll through the park, especially for Ginny. How did Harry and Ginny's relationship pan out between the battle and 19 years after the fact? Pairings: H/G and a little R/H. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Hope?

disclaimer: sadly everything belongs to J.K Rowling. . . :*(

She was stunned. Her feet felt like cement blocks keeping her rooted to the spot, and her eyes where surely deceiving her. Only seconds before (well it may have been minutes or hours, time seemed irrelevant at the moment) she had witnessed his lifeless body, draped over Hagrid's arms, being paraded about in the midst of a swarm of death-eaters headed by none other than Voldemort himself. She had clung to her brother Ron for support as her worst fears were brought to life right before her eyes, the very eyes that were now playing nasty tricks on her. For there, right in front of her, was what appeared to be Harry standing victorious over the body of what had been the darkest wizard of her time. The world seemed to explode around her as realization hit the crowd that was gathered in the Great Hall. Still unable to move, and barely able to breathe she stood frozen as reality shattered around her. Then suddenly she was thrust forward, and fell onto her hands and knees as people around her pushed their way to the center of the hall where their victor stood. Gathering all the strength she could muster, she hauled herself to her feet, and lugged her body to the nearest table where she dumped herself onto a bench. The Hall was simply buzzing with excitement, but the excitement was still only skin deep for Ginny. Her head lie against the wooden table, and her devious eyes drifted shut of their own accord. She could not allow herself to hope that what she had witnessed was real. She had seen his corpse cradled in Hagrid's arms. At the same time her heart could not comprehend the loss of it's one and only true love.

She wished to wake in Harry's arms, to find that this had all been a terrible dream. While he pulled her closer and stroked her hair out of her face, she snuggled into his chest and just listened to his glorious heartbeat, and reveled in the rise and fall of his breathing. She never wanted to leave the comfort of this lovely daydream, but just as that thought crossed her mind she felt someone sit down beside her, pulling her away from her divine trance.

"Ginny," came her mother's voice "what's the matter? Are you hurt?" she said noticing her daughter's tears. Still unable to form a complete sentence, Ginny just nodded her reply and fell into her mother releasing her sorrows with an endless stream of earth shattering sobs.

"What is it Ginny?" Molly couldn't stand to see her children suffering. Even though her heart was aching for her recently deceased son, and the countless others that had lost their lives; she could not bear to see her children tormented as well. Pushing her grief to the back of her mind she put on her brave face for her children.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, if you don't tell me what's the matter with you this instant, so help me I…"

She was unable to finish. At that moment Ginny's head had risen from her mother's shoulder to reveal the most distraught and anguished look Molly had ever witnessed. Her brave façade melted away and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

Ginny couldn't fathom why her mother would be asking _her_ what was wrong.

_Harry's dead! She knows how much I loved him! What is the matter with her?!_

"Why…how…how could you even ask that?" Ginny was beginning to become annoyed. Angry tears began to flow.

Confused by her daughter's actions and hysterics, Mrs. Weasley just hugged Ginny closer and began rocking her back and forth letting her cry all of her frustrations out. After Ginny calmed down a bit, Molly pulled back and looked into Ginny's eyes, which were red and beginning to swell.

"Now, Ginevra, what is the matter? Is it F-fred?"

She stuttered on the last word and tears fell from her eyes. Fred hadn't been the reason Ginny had been crying, but at the mention of her brother she began to cry again as well.

"Harry's d-dead!" Those were the only words Ginny could form through her sobs. She felt bad for forgetting about Fred for even a moment, but she couldn't believe her mother wasn't concerned about Harry's death. Harry had been like a son to her mother as much as Fred had been. This is also why she didn't understand why her mother was looking at her like she was raving mad.

"Ginny dear I think we need to get you to the hospital wing and get you something for your…fretful state" said Mrs. Weasley. She had a concerned tone like she was talking to someone far inferior to herself. Molly began to stand up and attempted to pull Ginny to her feet, but Ginny refused to budge. She looked up into her mother's face and Molly could see the pain and genuine sadness in her daughter's eyes.

"Ginny…didn't you see what just happened?" said Molly still worried about her little girls mental state.

"Of course I did! Everyone did, didn't they?!" Ginny said turning a little red around the ears. This was a true sign of her anger.

"And…and what exactly did you see dear?" Said Mrs. Weasley

"Hagrid was carrying H-h…and he was…he IS…D-dead!" on the last word she broke down in a fresh bout of sobbing, and clung to the bench and her mother for support. Realization finally dawned on Mrs. Weasley and she couldn't help the sad smile that crept its way to her lips.

"Ginny darling, Harry is fine, more than fine I would imagine."

She saw an edge of doubt creep across Ginny's face followed shortly by comprehension. Then suddenly, filled with a sudden burst of excitement and astonishment at how silly she had been, Ginny shot to her feet. Her unexpected eruption caused Mrs. Weasley to topple backwards and fall right on her backside, but Ginny was frantically searching for the person she longed to see more than anything else in the world. She was just about to give up every last shred of hope that her mother had been right, when she heard Luna yelling something about a "Blibbering Humdinger" or some nonsense. Ginny spun around and just caught a glimpse of a tuft of messy raven hair and stunning green eyes before they disappeared into thin air. She made to run after him, but she was caught by the bottom of her robes by her mother who had been struggling to get to her feet.

"Ginevra, I know how much you want to see him, but there will be time for that later. Now be a dear and help your mother off the floor, will you?"

Giving one last hopeful glance around the Great Hall she resolved that her mother was right, and turned to hoist her to her feet. Even though she had missed her chance to hold Harry now, she felt a new sense of hope at seeing just a hint that he was still alive. There would be time to talk later, hours and days and hopefully many years in which to talk. Helping her mother back up to the bench, she sat beside her and laid her head on her shoulder. The last thing she remembered before succumbing to sleep was watching Neville, the sword of Gryffindor lying on the table in front of him, talking animatedly to everyone around him.


	2. Finally!

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything . . . J.K. Rowling owns it all . . . somehow I feel like there should be an evil laugh after that statement.

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Next thing she knew she was in the Room of Requirements, laying in her hammock. Although she was very familiar with her surroundings, she felt that something was off. Climbing down from her make-shift bed, she began to investigate. Everything seemed normal…except she was completely alone. She had never been all by herself in this room. A few members of the D.A. had always stayed behind with her when the others had gone on "missions" to get food. Now the room felt hollow and sad. She turned to the portrait of Arianna Dumbledore to escape from the room and maybe find the others, but as soon as she reached out to touch it…it disappeared. The whole room seemed to vanish around her in a cloud of deep black smoke, and Ginny was left in nothingness. She couldn't see or feel anything. She tried to yell for someone…something…anything, but there was no sound. Then, suddenly, there was a tiny light in the distance. Abruptly aware of her body again, Ginny began sprinting for the distant glow in the hopes that it would be a way out of the retched darkness. She seemed to be getting closer until she spotted someone emerging from the light, and was curiously unable to move. Wand lit, and held high above his head, he came closer and closer. Slowly his face seemed to solidify until his features were shockingly distinct.

"Harry?" said Ginny

There was a flash and….

Ginny was woken by the light streaming in through a small hole in the crimson bed hangings. She was confused as to why she wasn't in her hammock in the Room of Requirements, and she could only come up with one conclusion: Their hiding place had been discovered while she had been sleeping. Fear for the other D.A. members sprang up inside her and began clawing at her chest. She tried not to think about what the Carrow's might be doing to them. The only thing she couldn't understand was why they had decided to let her sleep. By this time she had torn back her curtains, dashed out of the room, and was now standing at the foot of the stairs leading up to the girl's dormitory. Ginny didn't have a plan. The only thing she knew was she had to rescue the others. Realizing that she didn't have a wand, and that she would stand absolutely no chance against a school full of death eaters without one, she ran back up the stairs.

_My chances of coming out alive, even if I have a hundred wands, are slim…_

Bursting through the dormitory door she made a quick sweep of the room, hoping against all hope that they had been thick enough to leave her a wand. As luck would have it, whoever had brought her to her room had foolishly left her wand laying on her nightstand. She rushed back down the stairs, but when she reached the bottom she heard someone outside the portrait. Thinking quickly Ginny hunkered down behind one of the armchairs in the common room. Her hiding place gave her an excellent vantage point of the door. Ginny positioned herself to jinx whoever the sorry sod coming through the door was.

The portrait swung open to reveal two people, and Ginny recognized them a little too late.

"Oi! What the bloody he-," came Ron's voice before it was cut short and he was attacked by flying bogies.

"What the—Geroffme!! Geroff!"

Ginny stood frozen while Hermione tried to remove the bat-bogey hex she had accidentally thrown at Ron.

_Ron and Hermione? What are they doing here?_

Just as Ginny was about to ask them this very question, her memories from the previous day came rushing back. Hermione, having successfully removed the hex from a frantic Ron, turned on Ginny looking furious as Ron just stood there looking thunderstruck.

"Ginny what were you thinking?! You could have seriously hurt him! I mean…that could have been anyone," Hermione said in an attempt to cover up her slip. "You could have hit your mum, or Harry!"

"Harry! Where is he? Have you seen him?" said Ginny cutting Hermione off in the middle of her rant, causing her to stutter.

"I—erm well, yes actually. Ron wasn't he sleeping when we—you came down for breakfast this morning?" Ginny found it odd for Hermione to be tripping over her words.

"Erm…yeah, yeah he was." Ron looked a little flustered and red around the ears, and he seemed to be quite interested with something on his shoes. Ginny smirked at Hermione who gave a very frightened, un-Hermione like squeak, and pulled Ginny out of the portrait hole and around the nearest corner.

"You and my brother…I always knew this day would come I just didn't think YOU would move so fast!" said Ginny before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Shush Ginny…nothing happened! We've just gotten used to sleeping together…oh for goodness sake Ginny not like that! We never do anything!" said a frantic and clearly embarrassed Hermione to a hysterical Ginny.

"So…does that mean…you're not together…I mean…you are…together…aren't you," said Ginny between fits of laughter.

"Well, yes I suppose so." Hermione looked like she was frightened of what Ginny might say next.

"Finally!" screamed Ginny.

"What is that supposed to mean," asked Hermione, a little taken aback.

"Well you two have been dancing around each other for ages! Although, I thought you'd kill each other before you both came to your senses." Ginny was so elated she couldn't help but pull a very relieved looking Hermione into a hug.

"Now come on Hermione. Let's get you back to my brother. He's waited this long for you, but I'm not going to be the one to test his patience." Ginny said pulling Hermione along the corridor back to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

They were just rounding the corner when the portrait swung open and Ron stepped out, closely followed by a disheveled, and gloomy looking man.

"Harry!"

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A/N: okay sorry this is so short. . .plz review anyway! It would really help me out if I could get some feedback.


	3. Ronald!

Disclaimer: Once again…I don't own Harry Potter…J.K. does! GAW!!

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They were just rounding the corner when the portrait swung open and Ron stepped out, closely followed by a disheveled, and gloomy looking man.

"Harry!" Ginny had recognized him immediately, even though he hardly looked like the boy that she had stolen a kiss from all those months ago in her room at the Burrow.

Although he did appear slightly underfed, He had obviously gained a few pounds of muscle. His once lanky frame looked sturdier and, if at all possible, sexier then the last time she had seen him. His hair had grown a few inches longer, and he had what appeared to be a 5 o'clock shadow, which did wonders for his now gloriously defined jaw line.

She longed to throw herself into his arms and never leave their shelter and comfort again. However, something seemed to be keeping her fixed to the spot.

_What if he's changed his mind? He may not want me anymore…He might have already moved on with someone else._

Then Harry looked at her, and the melancholy that had been surrounding him seemed to dissolve before her eyes. Their eyes met, and longing seemed to radiate between them. The next thing she knew, Harry had run forward, lifted her in a strong embrace, and twirled her around in circles before setting her on her feet and looking down into her face lovingly.

Forgetting all about her brother and her best friend, and throwing caution to the wind, she kissed him full on the mouth. This kiss held more passion then she had ever exerted in her life. Her arms wound their way around his neck and her hands entwined themselves in his raven hair. She absolutely loved the way he held her close to his chest, which was now much firmer, but still felt glorious. She hoped he would never ever have to let her go again. He tightened his hold around her bringing them even closer to one another. She let out a small moan, which she regretted immediately. Remembering their audience, she quickly pulled away from his kiss. To her surprise his lips went straight to her neck.

"Oi! Will you stop trying to swallow each other? I might have to claw my own eyes out," Ron's voice rang through her, pulling her away from sheer bliss.

"Ronald!" Hermione snapped at him.

"What? I don't want to see my baby sister being swallowed whole by my best friend," said Ron.

Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but Harry whipped around, never releasing Ginny, and unleashed a powerful glare on Ron.

"Oh, so I have to watch you make-out with my best friend, who's as good as my sister, but I can't kiss my own girlfriend?" Ginny gawked at Harry, shock etched on her face.

"What," said Ron, Hermione, and Ginny simultaneously.

"Well…yeah," Harry turned back to Ginny and tucked a strand of her fiery hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek, "If she'll still have me, that is."

"Hmmm," said Ginny giving Harry a cheeky smirk, "well I was referring to you watching my brother make-out with Hermione. The second part I'm just going to have to think about."

He looked into her eyes, and gave her a mischievous smile before leaning in to place yet another earth shattering kiss upon her lips. She was grateful his arms were still securely around her waist; because, her knees began to weaken. Finally releasing her from the kiss, Harry once again looked lustfully into her eyes. Ginny gazed into his gorgeous emerald orbs, and couldn't help to melt even further into his chest.

"I think you know my answer," said Ginny, "but just in case you need more convincing."

She leant into him joining their lips once more.

"Oh for the love of Merlin!" came Ron's booming voice.

"Ronald, shut up!" Hermione's face was extremely red.

"What do you expect Hermione?! I am not meant to witness my sister do THAT with my best friend! It's just WRONG!" said Ron as a horrified shiver ran down his spine.

"For goodness sake, let's give them some privacy." Hermione seemed relieved at the possibility of extricating herself from the awkwardness of this situation.

"Yeah alright," apprehension written all over his face, "but like I said before Potter, you hurt her, and you'll have six…five brothers to answer to."

Ron's face fell, and his voice broke before he could finish his threat. Hermione reached over, wrapping her arms around his waist, and began to usher him toward the portrait of the Fat Lady. Harry turned back to Ginny with downcast eyes.

Ginny placed her hand under his chin, and coaxed his head up until he looked into hers eyes.

"Harry, I know what you're thinking," she began tenderly, "but Fred's death IS NOT your fault. Don't even think it. He was a grown man, and he knew exactly what he was getting into. He was prepared for the consequences of his actions." Ginny, who had sounded disturbingly like her mother, had been holding back tears.

Harry opened his mouth, about to argue, when they heard someone coming up the stairs. Both turning to look at the staircase, were surprised to see Mrs. Weasley stepping onto the landing. Her eyes, though red and puffy, were perceptive as she took in their warm embrace. She raised her eyebrows, and Harry leaped away from Ginny as if a jolt of electricity had been shot through him. Defiantly, Ginny reached for his hand and entwined their fingers.

"Oh, hello there dears…I was just coming to check on you both," said Mrs. Weasley rather coolly. "How are you feeling Harry?"

"M'fine." This was all Harry could say. Seeing Mrs. Weasley so downcast, while he was so elated, filled him with such guilt he felt like his chest would collapse. Harry found it increasingly hard to look at her.

"Ginny darling, are you feeling better? You look like you've improved since yesterday," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Yes Mum, I'm much better now." Ginny accentuated her statement by giving Harry's hand an affectionate squeeze, and cuddling into his side.

Mrs. Weasley gave her a warm smile, but there was a warning in her eyes.

"Alright then…have you seen your brother? I want to check on him too. He looked a little blue when he and Hermione came down for lunch." Mrs. Weasley's forehead creased with a line of worry.

Harry and Ginny glanced at one another, causing Mrs. Weasley to narrow her eyes in suspicion.

"Erm…they went into the common room a few minutes ago," Harry said.

"Well I'll see the two of you later." Mrs. Weasley gave them both one last glance, and passed through the portrait hole, leaving the two of them standing alone in the corridor.

They stood in silence for about 30 seconds before they heard Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice coming from the other side of the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!"

Giving each other a horrified look, Ginny and Harry sprinted through the portrait hole to see something that neither one of them ever wished to see.

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A/N: Well there's chapter 3. Hope you liked it! Please review. I would greatly appreciate it. :)


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